The  Course  of  Study  in  the 
Work  of  the  Modern  School 


Course  of  Study  Monographs 
Introductory 

The  Public  Schools 

Berkeley,  Calif  or.,  ia 
192  1 


SOUTHERN  BRANCH, 

UNIVERSiTY  OF  CALIFORNIA, 

LIBRARY, 

L-DS  ANGELES,  CALIF. 


The  Course  of  Study  in  the 
Work  of  the  Moaern  School 


H.  B.  WILSON 

Superintendent  of  Schools. 


Introductory  to  all  Courses  of  Study 
presenting  the  general  point  of  view 
which  has  guided  the  formulation  of 
the  detailed  courses  in  all  subjects 
for  the  various  schools. 


a/g 


COURSE    OF    STUDY    MOXOGRAPHS 
IXTRODUCTORY 

THE    PUBLIC    SCHOOLS 

Berkeley,  California 

Second^'Eaition,   January,    1922. 


51^77 


Printed  at 

The  Press  of  The  Courier 

Berkeley,  Calif. 


\  5  7  0 
COURSE  OF  STUDY  MONOGRAPHS 


The  Course  of  Stud}'  in  all  of  the  subjects  taught  in  the  public 
schools  are  under  critical  study.  As  rapidly  as  the  course  in  any 
subject  can  be  rewritten  following  such  study  by  the  committee 
responsible  for  the  task,  it  will  be  issued  in  mimeographed  form  that 
its  plans  and  recommendations  may  be  tested  throiigh  use  by  all 
teachers.  Upon  the  completion  of  the  testing  process,  each  course 
will  lie  revised  with  the  aim  of  incorporating  such  modifications  and 
improvements  in  the  course  as  are  suggested  by  the  teachers  who  use 
it.  When  ready  to  be  issued  in  more  permanent  form,  each  course 
will  be  printed  as  a  course  of  study  monograph. 


ALL  SCHOOLS— 

Introductor> — The   Course  of  Study  in  tiic  Work  of  the   Modern 
School — Issued   January,    1921. 


ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS— 

1.  Arithmetic — Issued  July,  1921. 

2.  Home  Economics — Issued  August,  1921. 

3.  Nature   Study — Issued  August,   1921. 

4.  Geography — Issued  August,  1921. 

5.  Penmanship — Issued  July,  1921. 


INTERMEDIATE   SCHOOLS— 

1.  English — In     mimeographed     form,     hence     not    availal)le    for 

distribution. 

2.  History — In    mimeographed    form,    hence    not    available     for 

distribution. 

3.  Mathematics — In  mimeographed  form,  hence  not  available  for 

distribution. 

4.  Modern   Language — In  mimeographed  form,  hence  not  avail- 

able for  distribution. 

5.  Science — In  mimeographed  form,  hence  not  available   for  dis- 

tribution. 

6.  Physical  Education — In  mimeographed  form,  hence  not  avail- 

able  for  distribution. 

HIGH   SCHOOL— Revisions  Under  Way. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2008  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/courseofstudyinwOOberk 


THE  COURSE  OF  STUDY  IN  THE  WORK 
OF  THE  MODERN  SCHOOL 

The  first  requisite  in  any  undertakin.y  is  determining  and  defining 
the  results  sought.  This  is  true  whether  the  task  be  a  simple  one, 
such  as  purchasing  a  suit  of  clothes,  or  a  complex  one,  such  as 
developing  a  city  water  system  or  drafting  a  state  constitution. 

In  an  institution  so  complex  as  the  public  school  system,  it  is 
fundamentally  important  to  conceive  clearly  the  results  to  be  sought 
through  the  elaborate  process  of  education.  It  is  a  complex  and 
difticult  process  in  the  work  of  each  day;  yes,  in  the  teaching  of 
e^ch  lesson  and  in  the  direction  of  each  exercise.  Not  only  so,  but 
iti  is  rendered  further  complex  and  difficult  by  reason  of  the  fact 
tn^t  it  extends  over  many  years  of  the  child's  life.  Not  alone  is  the 
process  complex  because  of  the  long  time  it  occupies,  but  it  is 
further  complicated  by  the  growth  changes  and  by  changes  from 
other  causes  which  take  place  in  the  child  during  the  period  of  his 
school  training.  Then,  too,  because  several  different  teachers  will 
help  in  the  child's  education  before  it  is  completed,  it  is  very  neces- 
sary that  each  have  a  clear  understanding  of  the  results  public 
education  should  secure  so  that  every  teacher  who  tries  to  aid  in  the 
child's  education  may  be  aiming  for  the  same  results. 

It  is  evident  that  any  fundamental  attack  in  developing  a  course 
of  study  must  first  define  clearly  both  the  general  and  specific  aims 
of  the  school  system  in  which  it  is  to  be  used,  in  order  that  all  of  its 
details  may  be  planned  and,  shaped  to  the  end  that  the  course  of 
study  may  be  uniquely  adapted,  to  the  accomplishment  in  the  most 
direct  and  economic  fashion  of  the  projected  aims.  The  truth  of 
this  general  proposition  will  become  evident  to  any  one  who  will 
recall  his  history  of  education  sufficiently  to  note  how  curricula  have 
been  modified  and  reshaped  with  each  succeeding  aim  or  purpose  of 
public  education  which  has  been  proposed.  A  brief  survey  of  the 
aims  of  education  and  of  the  moulding  effect  of  each  aim  on  the 
curricula  of  the  time  will  afford  a  needed  perspective  in  approaching 
our  task. 

Early  Aims  of  Education, 

There  have  been  manj'  changes  in  the  conception  of  the  purpose 
of  the  public  schools  during  historic  times.  As  the  time  when  the 
amount  of  knowledge  possessed  by  the  race  was  verj-  meager — so 
meager  that  it  was  all  necessary  as  a  means  of  eking  out  a  mere  scant 
existence — the  function  of  the  school  was  to  fit  each  individual  to 
earn  his  living,  or  to  earn  his  "bread  and  butter."  Living,  then,  was 
merely  a  food,  clothing,  and  shelter  problem,  and  so  the  aim  of  the 
school  was   correspondingly   limited  and   narrow. 


A  little  later  in  the  history  of  the  race,  the  amount  of  informa- 
tion which  had  been  developed  was  greater  than  was  absolutely 
essential  to  meeting  the  essentials  of  the  food,  clothing,  and  shelter 
problem.  At  that  time  the  function  of  the  school  was  the  acquisition 
of  the  knowledge  which  the  race  possessed.  The  function  of  the 
school  was  then  merely  the  transmission  of  the  racial  heritage  of 
information. 

Gradually,  however,  the  knowledge  possessed  by  the  race  in- 
creased in  such  quantity  that  it  was  not  possible  for  the  school  to 
transmit  it  all,  so  it  became  necessary  to  select  that  which  should 
be  taught  by  the  school.  Then  the  goal  which  was  projected  was 
that  of  providing  culture,  and  that  knowledge  or  information  pos- 
sessed by  the  race  which  it  was  thought  had  greatest  cultural  value 
was  organized  into  the  curriculum.  In  those  days  the  classic 
languages  held  sway  almost  regardless  of  the  claim  of  other  types 
of  knowledge. 

Finally,  however,  this  type  of  curriculum  began  to  be  endangered 
as  the  modern  sciences  and  modern  languages  developed.  Then  as 
a  means  of  retaining  the  classic  languages  and  other  traditional 
curricular  elements  in  their  position  of  control,  a  new  aim  of  the 
school  was  set  up,  namely,  that  of  conferring  discipline  or  general 
training  upon  the  students  of  the  school.  It  was  urged  that  those 
things  should  be  retained  in  the  curriculum  of  the  school  which  have 
greatest  disciplinary  value. 


The  Social  Aim  of  Education 

All  of  the  foregoing  aims  were  individualistic  and  narrow.  Their 
concern  was  primarily  the  individual  without  much  thought  in 
reference  to  equipping  him  for  his  social  relationships.  The  next  aim 
of  the  school  which  was  proposed  after  the  disciplinary  aim,  which 
gave  such  an  amount  of  difficulty  that  it  could  no  longer  be  defended, 
was  the  aim  of  developing  moral  character,  or  the  training  of  people 
for  good  citizenship.  This  aim  had  the  advantage  of  taking  into 
account  the  social  needs  of  people.  Educational  leaders  began  to 
view  the  school  from  a  more  adequate  social  standpoint  rather  than 
from  the  purely  individualistic  standpoint. 

Whereas  the  disciplinary  aim  had  given  difficulty  because  nobody 
knew  exactly  what  it  meant  to  develop  harmoniously  all  of  man's 
powers,  so  also  the  aim  of  developing  moral  character  gave  difitlculty. 
It  gave  difficulty  in  a  little  different  way,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
standards  of  morality  have  differed  so  at  different  periods  in  the 
world's  history  and  because  they  differ  now  greatly  in  different 
nations.  Even  all  states  do  not  have  the  same  standards  of  morality 
in  the  same  nation.  Indeed,  communities  vary  greatly  in  their  moral 
standards.     This,    therefore,   proved   a   difficult    aim    of   the    school    in 


light  of  which  to  organize  a  system  of  education.  It  gave  no 
definite  guide  for  the  selection  of  the  subject  matter  and  exercise 
of  the  school  curriculum. 

But  the  social  point  of  view  which  had  Ijeen  emphasized  under 
the  aim  of  training  for  citizenship  remains  in  the  aim  or  function  of 
the  school  which  succeeded  it  and  which  is  now  currently  controlling 
the  organization  of  schools.  It  is  generally  agreed  that  the  function 
of  the  public  schools  in  these  days  is  to  train  each  person  so  that  he 
may  carry  as  satisfactorily  as  possible  all  of  life's  responsibilities. 
The  modern   school,  therefore,   seeks  to  train   for  "social   efficiency." 

Meaning  of  Social  Efficiency. 

But,  before  wc  can  begin  rationally  to  plan  the  course  of  study 
and  the  other  details  of  the  modern  school,  we  must  inquire  what  the 
current  aim  of  education  means  when  analyzed,  and  what  specific 
responsibilities  it  imposes. 

What  the  schools  and  other  more  informal  means  of  education 
should  accomplish  is  clearly  indicated  by  the  respects  in  which  every 
individual  must  be  efficient  if  he  would  succeed  after  he  goes  from 
his  period  of  formal  training  into  the  actual  work  of  the  world.  The 
most  commonly  accepted  statement  holds  that  every  person  who  may 
be  expected  to  succeed  well  in  meeting  all  the  responsibilities  of  life 
must  be  efficient  in  physical  health,  in  some  occupation,  in  the  use 
of  his  leisure  time,  in  his  duties  as  a  citizen,  and  in  his  moral  and 
religious  life. 

Physical  Efficiency. 

It  seems  that  it  should  be  perfectly  evident  that  the  physical 
equipment  requisite  to  succeed  in  the  strenuous  work  of  the  Twen- 
tieth Century  is  a  sound,  fully  developed  body  in  good  physical 
tone.  Until  recently,  however,  schools  have  given  merely  incidental, 
or  rather  accidental,  attention  to  this  first  essential  of  social  effi- 
ciency. Schools  proceeded  as  though  it  was  their  business  merely 
to  instruct  those  who  remained  alive,  and  well  enough  to  attend 
school,  but  they  made  no  definite  provision  for  contributing  to  good 
health  and  physical  vigor. 

Even  before  the  war,  scientific  investigation  had  determined  that 
seventy-five  per  cent  of  the  more  than  twenty  million  children  in  the 
public  schools  were  handicapped  by  a  large  variety  of  physical 
defects,  most  of  which  are  remediable.  The  wonderful  results  which 
may  be  secured  in  removing  physical  handicaps  in  a  brief  time  by 
intensive  attention  to  the  matter  are  evident  in  the  military  training 
camp  records.  After  about  thirty-five  per  cent  of  the  men  examined 
under  the  first  selective  draft  had  been  rejected  for  physical  defects, 
intensive   attention   to   the   improvement    of   the   physical   efficiency   of 


those    accepted    produced    almost    incredible    gains    in    their    health, 
vitality,  and  physical  and  general  efficiency. 

It  is  now  definitely  recognized  that  public  education  must  make 
definite  provision  for  insuring  that  every  pupil  is  constantly  at  the 
maximum  in  health  and  that  his  vital  and  physical  efficiency  are 
receiving  first  attention.  Only  thus  can  we  hope  to  secure  the  largest 
results  from  all  our  educational  efforts  and  at  the  same  time  insure 
that  physical  vigor  and  vital  efficiency  essential  to  success  in  the 
work  of  the  world.  In  our  determination  to  accomplish  this  objective 
of  education,  we  must  be  guided  by  the  fact  that  the  perfect  physical 
development  and  good  health  of  our  people  is  even  more  essential 
and  fundamental  to  the  integrity  and  permanence  of  'our  nation  than 
industrial  development,  economic  accomplishment,  scientific  progress 
and  political  achievement.  Out  of  this  conviction  must  come  nation- 
wide attention  to  physical  education  such  as  has  been  recently 
instituted  through  legislation  in  such  progressive  states  as  California, 
New  York  and  New  Jersey. 


Vocational  Efficiency. 

That  every  person  who  would  succeed  must  l)e  able  to  do  some 
kind  of  work,  to  pursue  successfully  some  occupation  or  calling,  is 
almost  as  evident  as  that  he  should  possess  good  health.  Almost 
every  child  in  the  public  schools  must  be  able  to  earn  his  living 
when  he  reaches  maturity  by  some  work  he  does.  In  dealing  with 
him  the  schools  must  be  guided  bj'  this  fact. 

Training  for  vocational  efficiency  requires  not  only  the  proper 
guidance  of  each  youth  into  his  life  work,  but  the  development  of 
both  vocational  intelligence  and  operative  skill.  As  yet,  the  public 
schools  are  organized  and  equipped  to  do  but  little  in  developing 
operative  skill.  These  efforts  are  confined  to  commercial  courses  and 
to  a  few  industrial  courses  developed  by  the  Federal  Board  for 
Vocational  Education.  The  possibilities  of  developing  vocational 
intelligence  are  much  greater.  Our  courses  of  study  must  provide 
definitely  for  giving  the  public  school  pupils  a  wide  knowledge  of 
occupations  through  both  reading,  observation,  and  participation. 
From  such  training  young  people  will  be  able  to  determine  with 
greater  wisdom  the  occupation  each  should  enter.  They  will  also  be 
rendered  much  more  sympathetic  with  and  appreciative  of  the  labors 
and  products  produced  by  those  engaging  in  different  occupations 
than  their  own.  As  a  result  of  the  attention  which  should  be  given  to 
equipping  each  child  for  successful  vocational  participation  will  come 
in  much  greater  measure  than  now  obtains  those  abilities,  disposi- 
tions, bodies  of  knowledge,  types  of  skill  and  social  attitudes  which 
are  essential  to  the  gradual  establishment  of  a  higher  type  of  voca- 
tional efficiency  among  our  entire  citizenship. 

8 


Civic  Efficiency. 

It  matters  not  where  one  may  live,  it  is  evident  that  in  addition 
to  doing-  acceptal)ly  and  v\'ell  some  sort  of  work,  he  must  take  some 
active  part  in  the  government  and  in  the  afifairs  of  general  concern  in 
the  town,  county,  state  and  nation  in  which  he  lives.  Not  only 
should  one  vote  intelligently  and  obey  loyally  all  the  laws  or  ordi- 
nances under  which  he  lives,  but  as  a  good  citizen  he  should  be 
aggressive  as  a  leader  in  all  possil)le  ways  which  might  promote  the 
growth,  improvement  and  perpetuation  of  our  democratic  institutions, 
both  local  and  national. 

The  public  schools  must  give  definite  attention  to  the  provision 
of  such  teaching  and  training  as  will  develop  in  each  oncoming 
citizen  the  capacity  and  disposition  to  obey  orders  and  follow  loyally 
governmental  leadership.  At  the  same  time,  every  effort  should  be 
made  to  develop  in  every  pupil  as  largely  as  possible  independence, 
initiative  and  originality — the  qualities  essential  to  capable  leadership. 
The  highest  standards  of  government  in  a  democracy  are  dependent 
upon  the  fullest  possible  development  in  all  the  people  of  those 
qualities  essential  both  to  following  and  leading  intelligently.  Deci- 
sions can  not  be  reached,  nor  can  action  be  taken  under  our  demo- 
cratic form  of  government  except  in  accordance  with  the  thought 
and  will  of  the  majority.  The  responsibility  of  equipping  the  on- 
coming citizens  for  efficient,  democratic  citizenship  rests  heavily 
upon  the  public  schools,  and  every  educational  program  must  make 
large  provisions  for  fulfilling  this  duty  in  the  most  concrete  and 
detailed  fashion. 

Avocational  Efficiency. 

After  the  I)usy  man  has  satisfactorily  done  all  of  the  serious 
tasks  devolving  upon  him  in  his  work,  in  his  responsibilities  as  a 
citizen  and  in  discharging  his  moral  and  religious  obligations,  he 
should  have  considerable  leisure  time.  As  the  working  day  is 
shortened,  the  amount  of  leisure  time  is  increased.  In  the  interest 
of  morality  as  well  as  of  efficiency  in  work,  it  is  highly  important 
that  every  citizen's  leisure  time  shall  be  spent  profitably  and  inspira- 
tionally,  and,  if  possible,  wholesomely  to  himself  and  to  all  who  are 
affected  by  his  acts  or  example. 

That  these  conditions  may  be  realized  in  people  during  their 
leisure,  they  must  be  equipped  to  employ  such  time  aright.  This 
necessitates  not  only  the  development  of  those  standards  and  prej- 
udices which  may  be  depended  upon  to  guide  each  into  acceptable, 
wholesome  conduct;  but  the  furnishing  of  each  so  that  he  has  things 
to  think  about  and  the  means  of  entertaining  himself  wholesomely, 
whether  alone  or  in  the  company  of  others. 

The  field  of  leisure  occupations  is  extensive.     It  includes  activities 


which   are   physical,   intellectual,   social,   aesthetic.      Professor   Bobbitt 
lists  the  following: 

"Conversation,  observation  of  men  and  things,  construction 
and  operation  of  things,  hobbies,  sports,  games,  athletics,  reading, 
travel,  music,  painting;  scientific  experimentation  prompted  by 
interest  in  science;  the  reading  of  history,  economics,  philosophy, 
science,  foreign  languages,  mathematics,  and  technology,  when 
prompted  by  love  of  the  subject  and  delight  in  the  intellectual 
experience;  religious  meditations  and  philosophic  contemplation." 

While  provision  for  leisure  training  should  be  adequate  it  must 
not  be  made  the  excuse  for  the  retention  in  schools  of  that  stibject- 
matter  and  those  activitie  which  are  merely  traditional.  The  useless 
and  obsolete  must  go;  but  increasinglj^  larger  provision  must  be 
made  in  the  public  schools  for  training  the  oncoming  citizen  for 
the  right  use  of  their  leisure  time. 

Moral  and  Religious  Training 

The  most  lofty  and  high-minded  efficiency  in  physical  attain- 
ments, in  work,  in  leisure  and  in  discharging  one's  duties  as  a  citizen 
is  impossible  under  our  Christian  conceptions  and  standards  except 
as  those  types  of  efficency  spring  out  of  and  rest  back  upon  a  high 
moral  and  religious  efficiency.  Large,  constructive  programs  of 
helpful  action  and  fundamentally  conceived  social  service  can  only 
emanate  from  people  whose  thought  and  actions  are  determined  by 
those  moral  and  religious  principles  which  constitute  the  fundamental 
basis  of  our  growing,  expanding  Christian  civilization.  These  large, 
basic  principles  of  living  and  action  which  underlie  all  Christian 
efforts  and  sects  must  by  both  direct  and  indirect  means,  through 
study,  discussion  and  participation,  be  made  as  fully  as  possible  the 
common  possession  of  all  our  pupils.  They  are  indispensable  to 
personal  inspiration  and  ambition.  They  are  needed  as  fundamental 
guides  for  all  in  every  action  that  is  designed  to  affect  others.  And 
they  are  no  less  necessary  in  the  life  of  every  individual  to  insure 
that  his  thinking  is  pure  and  high-minded.  The  reflex  effects  upon 
one's  personality  and  therefore  upon  all  aspects  of  his  efficiency  of 
the  purity  and  loftiness  of  his  thought  is  too  little  appreciated  as 
yet.  Teaching  must  not  only  seek  to  give  pupils  experience  in 
accurate  thinking,  but  likewise  in  clean,  high-minded  thinking.  In 
the  final  analysis,  the  nature  of  one's  thinking  and  one's  ability  to 
think  constitute  the  essence  of  all  the  effects  of  education.  As  one 
"thinketh  in  his  heart,  so  is  he"  is  a  universal  law,  with  many  and 
far-reaching  educational  implications. 

Educational   Outcomes. 

If  we  grant  that  these  types  of  efficiency  are  essential  to  that 
measure  of  success  attainable  l)y  any  man,  the  question  immediately 

10 


arises  as  to  what  the  school  should  make  the  permanent  possessions 
of  developing  children  in  order  that  they  may  manifest  each  of  these 
phases  of  efficiency  in  their  daily  living.  The  answer  is  that  they 
must  be  equipped  with  such  knowledge,  such  habits  and  skills,  and 
such  attitudes  as  will  enable  each  to  be  as  efficient  as  possible  in 
health,  in  vocation,  in  leisure,  in  citizenship  and  in  his  moral  and 
religious  life. 

It  is  perfectly  evident,  in  the  first  place,  that  accurate  up-to-date 
information  is  essential  to  each  phase  of  efficiency.  One  must  know 
what  is  essential  to  the  maintenance  of  good  health.  He  must 
possess  accurate  information  in  his  vocation,  whether  he  teaches, 
practices  medicine,  operates  a  laundry,  or  drives  an  auto  truck. 
Information  is  also  essential  in  his  duties  as  a  citizen,  in  his  leisure 
moments,  and  as  a  basis  for  any  moral  or  religious  life  which  goes 
beyond  mere  superficial  sentimentality.  In  the  discharge  of  this 
function,  the  school  must  equip  its  pupils  with  large  funds  of 
accurate  information  as  one  result  of  their  work  in  both  the  elemen- 
tary and  high   schools. 

In  the  second  place,  owing  to  the  manifold  and  complex  char- 
acter of  our  acts,  it  is  evident  that  most  of  our  information  does  not 
function  consciously.  It  must  therefore  be  reduced  to  the  plane  of 
habits  and  skills.  This  is  the  large  burden  of  the  teacher's  efforts  in 
good  schools,  particularly  in  the  first  six  grades,  when  teachers  are 
seeking  to  render  automatic  the  basic  equipment  in  writing,  reading, 
spelling,  figuring,  talking,  composing,  and  so  on.  The  importance 
of  an  adequate  body  of  habits  and  skills  favorable  to  the  work  one 
is  responsible  for  is  very  forcibly  stated,  and  with  approximate 
accuracy,  in  the  language  of  Professor  James  when  he  says  that 
"ninety-nine  one-hundredths  of  any  act  or  thing  that  one  may  be 
doing  at  any  time  is  performed  automatically,  by  reason  of  the 
habits  and  skills  which  he  has  built  up  out  of  his  past  experience." 

In  the  third  place,  if  one  would  be  efficient,  he  needs  not  only 
adequate  knowledge  and  an  appropriate  body  of  habits  and  skills, 
but  more  important  than  either  of  these,  he  needs  a  wholesome,  right 
attitude  growing  out  of  his  right  appreciations  and  prejudices.  In 
the  final  analysis,  the  thing  upon  which  one  places  most  emphasis  in 
choosing  his  friends  or  in  making  appointments  to  responsible  posi- 
tions is  one's  belief  in  reference  to  the  fundamental  attitude  of  the 
individual  in   question. 

The  foregoing  discussion  may  be  summarized  and  graphically 
presented  in  the  following  table: 


11 


SOCIAL  EFFICIENCY 

(Tlie   aim   of  all   education.) 


\^ecessary 
\^utcomes 

Phases  \\ 

of           \v 
Efficiency         \^^^ 

Knowledge 

Habits 

and 
Skills 

Attitudes 

Vital   or 
Physical 
Efficiency 

Were  it  po 

ssi1:)le   to  print  th 

e  details  of 

Vocational 
Efficiency 

4 

the  course  of 
greatly    enlar 

study  in  such  a 
ged,   every  item, 

table  as  this, 
detail   and   pro- 

Avocational             ^ 

Efficiency—            j         cedure     shoul  d  either  find  a  pi 

right  use  of                      eliminated.     I  t  would  be  well 
individual  and 
social  leisure 

ace   here   or   be 
if  teachers  were 

Civic 
Efficiency 

to  test  what 
whether   they 

they  teach  in  eac 
can  justly  give  i 

h  sul)ject  by 
t   a  place   in 

Moral 

and  Religious 

Efficiencj' 

such  a  table 

as  this. 

Before  taking  up  their  work  of  studying  criticalh-  the  various 
courses  of  study  in  use  in  the  Berkeley  Pul)lic  Schools  with  a  view 
to  their  improvement,  the  point  of  view  above  set  forth  was  definitely 
agreed  upon.  Under  the  guidance  of  this  formulation  of  aims, 
objectives,  and  outcomes,  the  committee  responsible  for  the  course 
of  study  in  each  subject  has  gone  about  its  work. 

Committees. 

The  work  on  each  subject  has  been  done  by  a  committee  of 
teachers.  In  forming  these  committees,  the  first,  second,  and  third 
choices  of  teachers  and  the  judgment  of  their  principals  and  super- 


12 


visors  were  taken  into  account.  In  charge  of  planning  and  directing 
the  work  of  each  committee  and  of  organizing  the  results  achieved 
has  been  a  chairman.  The  chairman  of  all  committees  constituted 
the  General  Course  of  Study  Committee,  whose  work  and  meetings 
were  directed  by  a  general  chairman.  In  practice  the  General 
Committee  and  each  subject  committee  met  approximately  every 
week  for  the  purpose  of  criticising  each  others  work  as  it  developed 
and  for  preserving  a  working  agreement  in  reference  to  how  the 
details  of  each  course  should  be  developed  under  the  general  point 
of  view. 

Essentials  of  Course  of  Study. 

Quite  as  important  as  the  general  point  of  view  which  has 
guided  the  committees  has  been  the  general  conception  of  all  in 
reference  to  the  essential  features  which  should  characterize  a  good 
course  of  study.  In  general  the  thought  is  that  a  course  of  study 
should  constitute  a  definite  hand  book  and  guide  to  the  teacher  in 
her  responsibility  for  teaching  the  various  subjects.  It  should  be 
so  written  and  organized  as  to  be  an  inspiration  to  teachers  in  their 
work.  Hence,  it  is  not  sufificient  if  it  merely  indicates  the  general 
scope  of  the  work  to  be  done  from  grade  to  grade  in  each  subject 
and  the  text  books  to  be  used  with  the  page  limits  therein.  The 
definite  topics  and  the  exact  subject  matter  which  should  be  taught 
because  of  their  socializing  value  should  be  indicated.  How  they 
should  be  varied  to  suit  differences  in  pupils  must  be  specified.  In 
fact  all  choices  which  depend  for  their  correctness  upon  scientific 
investigations  and  research  studies  must  be  made  for  the  teachers  by 
the  course  of  study.  Not  only  must  it  do  all  of  this,  but  in  addition 
thereto  it  must  indicate  those  methods  and  procedures  which  are 
recommended  because  of  their  proven  value  together  with  speci- 
men results  achieved  by  their  use.  References  giving  both  peda- 
gogical and  subject  matter  help  should  be  supplied  that  the  busy 
teacher's  task  of  teaching  well  so  many  subjects  may  be  lightened. 
The  standards  of  attainment  expected  of  pupils  should  be  set  forth 
as  concretely  and  definitely  as  possible.  Further,  all  directions  and 
helps  must  be  so  presented  as  to  keep  definitely  and  convincingly 
before  the  teacher  the  aims,  objectives,  and  outcomes  toward  which 
she  is  to  work  in  all  she  does  with  the  children. 

The  teachers  into  whose  hands  these  courses  of  study  come 
should  study  them  carefully  in  order  to  grasp  the  fundamental  point 
of  view  of  each.  Each  course  is  so  written  as  to  show  how  its 
mastery  should  promote  the  complete  socialization  of  every  on- 
coming citizen  who  is  a  pupil  in  the  public  schools.  The  teachers' 
economy  and  efficiency  of  effort  will  depend  largely  upon  her 
fundamental  grasp  of  the  basic  function  of  each  subject  of  study  in 
the   training   of   each   child   for    social    efficiency.      Further,   this   large 

13 


understanding  of  each  course  of  study  is  necessary  to  a  discovery  of 
its  weaknesses  and  shortcomings  which  we  shall  continually  seek  to 
eliminate.  It  is  also  necessary  to  a  thorough  appreciation  of  the 
virtues  and  strengths  of  the  course  which  we  must  )je  concerned 
continually  to  increase. 


51277 


14 


SOUTHERN  bKANwM, 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA/ 

LIBRARY, 

LOS  ANGELES,  CALIF. 


LB 
1570      Berkeley. 
R4.fi      Hal  if. 

Introd.      Public 

cop.<i      schools  - 

course   of   study   in 

trrre  "worK 
modfirn    rc 

xnr  trne 

tjoal-- 

^ 

^^.Uq 

LB 
c-o  JD,  2,. 


This  book  is  DUE  on  tlj 


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